Afric Pepperbird

Afric Pepperbird
Afric Pepperbird
Studio album by the Jan Garbarek Quartet
Released	1971
Recorded	September 22–23, 1970
Studio	Bendiksen Studio; Oslo, Norway
Genre	Jazz, post-bop, free jazz, progressive jazz
Length	40:51
Label	ECM; ECM 1007 ST
Producer	Manfred Eicher
Jan Garbarek chronology

Afric Pepperbird is an album by the Jan Garbarek Quartet, recorded over two days in September 1970 and released on ECM the following year—Garberek's second album overall, and his first released for the label. The quartet features rhythm section Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[3]

Background

Regarding the album's title, author Jan Omdahl reports that Garbarek told Arild Andersen about a reading about a bird in a book "or something", speculating about which "pepperbird" was the inspiration for the title of the song and album.^[4]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick states, "Together with Sart, Tryptikon, and Witchi-Tai-To (as well as a prior recording on Flying Dutchman), this album represents the strongest, most aggressive portion of Garbarek's career, before he succumbed to what became known as the ECM aesthetic. Very highly recommended."^[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jan Garbarek, except as noted.

Side I
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Skarabée"		6:16
2.	"Mah-Jong"	Andersen	1:52
3.	"Beast of Kommodo"		12:23

Side II
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Blow Away Zone"		8:37
2.	"MYB"	Andersen	1:50
3.	"Concentus"	Andersen	0:50
4.	"Afric Pepperbird"		7:58
5.	"Blupp"	Christensen	1:05
Total length:			40:51

Personnel

Jan Garbarek Quartet

Jan Garbarek – tenor and bass saxophones, clarinet, flute, percussion
Terje Rypdal – guitar, bugle
Arild Andersen – bass, thumb piano, xylophone
Jon Christensen – percussion

Technical personnel

Manfred Eicher – producer
Jan Erik Kongshaug – engineer
B & B Wojirsch – artwork
Terje Engh – photography

References

^ Allmusic Review
^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 174. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 523. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
^ https://klassekampen.no/utgave/2022-12-12/garbareks-startskudd. Klassekampen.no. Retrieved 2022-12-13
^ Olewnick, B. Allmusic Review accessed 1 November 2009

[1] Allmusic Review

[RSJRG-2] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 174. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[Penguin-3] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 523. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[4] ttps://klassekampen.no/utgave/2022-12-12/garbareks-startskudd. Klassekampen.no. Retrieved 2022-12-13

[5] Olewnick, B. Allmusic Review accessed 1 November 2009

[1]